


Bleeding Blue

by AthenaxVio



Category: Legend of Zelda: Four Swords
Genre: Dead People, Lots of OCs - Freeform, M/M, freshman year me was dumb, idk why I'm changing the tags when this is going through a rewrite, im dumb
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-12-21
Updated: 2015-01-28
Packaged: 2018-01-05 10:25:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 20
Words: 19,441
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1092787
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AthenaxVio/pseuds/AthenaxVio
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"  He almost exactly like Vio had described him-faded golden hair and ratty clothes swishing back and forth, moved by an unseen force; dark blue eyes, washed out and dead, bleeding wisps of smoky blackish-blue blood, the same blood oozing from his wrists, curling around him in waves; his skin ivory pale, mottled blue and purple, his entire body dripping water. He stood at the top of the stairs, staring down at Zant emotionlessly.</p><p>  Bleeding Blue was real; an undead, watery deity of torment and dissolution."</p><p>[GOING THROUGH A REWRITE SO IF THINGS DON'T MATCH UP YOU KNOW WHY]</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Stroke of horror/romance genius. Based loosely off of Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake (who am I kidding it's the same basic story just different situations and more time to fangirl)

**-Stormy Bay Village, Hyrule; April 3rd, 1867; 9:38 p.m.-**

"You reckon we'll find anything interesting out here Joe?"

A dark-skinned man sat in a small rowboat with a much younger boy, whose skin was only slightly lighter compared to that of his elder's. The elder man grunted in response, propelling the boat forward, his eyes glued to the inky expanse of the Great Sea in front of him.

"You heard about that fisherman's boy that up an' gone missing Joe? Heard the poor boy's mum died a bit ago I did. Name was Blue, wasn't it?" The younger man looked at Joe, a small frown on his face.

"Wouldn't have blamed him if he up an' run 'way, what with the rumors runnin' around about that stepmother of his, Jame. Can't believe th' father'd want to marry 'gain so quickly after losin' his first, and marry a witch on top o' that one." Joe said, making the sign of the Triforce over his heart.

A thunk sounded suddenly. Joe frowned. "Oar hit somethin'..." he muttered, holding the lantern over the water and prodding with his oar. Something milky-white floated into view. Jame leaned carefully over the edge of the boat, aiming to get a better look, eyes widening when he did.

"My goddesses Joe, is.... _is that a hand?!?"_


	2. Chapter 1

**-Stormy Bay, Hyrule; Present day-**  
  
 THUD!  
  
 Red groaned and sat up, rubbing his back. He sighed, knowing he wasn't going to get any more sleep tonight, and peeled himself from the floor.  
  
 "Red, honey? You ok?" Red's mom sounded sleepy; he glanced at the clock. 6:54 a.m.  
  
 "Yeah Mom, I'm fine. Just a bad dream." Red replied, exiting his room. This was ridiculous; seventeen years old and he was still having nightmares. _'Well, at least I don't run crying to my mom's room anymore...'_ He thought with a half-hearted smile. Walking into the kitchen and yawning, he started to make coffee. His mother walked in a moment later, tying her bathrobe. She glanced at her son sleepily and shooed him away from the coffee maker. Red huffed, then picked up one of the boxes off the floor and started unpacking it.  
  
 "You have to go to school in an hour y'know..." His mother said. "I know." Red replied. "I'd better go take a shower." He finished unpacking the box and walked to the bathroom.  
  
  
 If this was what public high-school was really like, Red wasn't sure he was gonna make it. Stormy Bay High looked pristine on the outside; the inside however, was a totally different story. Bratty rich kids were everywhere; disrespecting teachers, tripping people in the hallways, spraying graffiti on the lockers and walls, etcetera, etcetera. The short, red-clothed 17 year-old stood there in shock, staring. He didn't notice someone approaching him from his left until he felt a slight tap on his shoulder.  
  
 "Hey." He turned to look at the person. He was slightly taller than Red, with long white-blond hair that brushed slightly past his shoulders and icy, violet-blue eyes-one of which was covered by his bangs-and wore a Pierce the Veil long-sleeve that looked slightly too big for him-it covered his hands-dark purple jeans, and black converse; he had three piercings in each pointed ear and a thin coating of sparkly purple eyeliner rimmed each eye.  
  
 "I'm Vio. Like violet, but without the '-let'." When Red didn't reply, he continued. "It can be pretty rough here if you don't know anyone-that being said, I'm guessing you're new." The shorter of the two looked taken aback for a moment, then smiled and nodded.  
  
 "My name's Red. How'd you know I was new?" Vio chuckled. "I had the same reaction when I moved here two years ago. But then again, I was a freshman, so I'd probably have that reaction anyway." he shrugged passively, making Red giggle. Vio started walking, keeping to the walls and nodding at Red to follow. "You won't get tripped up as much this way." He explained when given a questioning look. "Ok!"  
  
  
 The first part of the day moved slowly. As it turned out, Vio and Red had the majority of their classes together. Red opted to sit next to Vio in each of the classes they shared, to which the taller blonde had no objection(although there were weird looks sent their way-not many people talked to Vio unless he talked to them first). By lunchtime phone numbers and house addresses were exchanged(isn't it wonderful how friendship works?), and the duo had claimed a small table near the back of the cafeteria. The more experienced of the two was pointing out all the different groups to his new buddy.  
  
 "...the only people you really need to worry about are the bullies-a.k.a. the football team-the cheerleaders, and the druggies. They'll leave you alone as long as you don't make yourself noticeable. And by make yourself noticeable, I mean humiliate them publicly." Vio explained as he dug a notebook out of his bag, setting it on the table and opening it to a page covered in barely legible writing. Red turned his attention away from the three groups his friend had pointed out to him, and tilted his head questioningly when he caught sight of the book. "What's that?"  
  
 "....Research."


	3. Chapter 2

"Research on what?" He asked, an innocent tone to his voice.

Icy, violet blue eyes met sky blue for a brief second. "Bleeding Blue." Red shivered at the name, a chill running down his spine.

"Bleeding Blue...?" Vio nodded. "The neighborhood legend. The ghost that haunts the house by the sea. It's a pretty freaky story. You sure you want to know?" The shorter blonde swallowed and nodded. Taking a breath, Vio began.

"Like I said before, there's this house. More of a shack really, but in 1867 I don't think anybody knew the difference. It sits by the sea, bay-whatever you want to call it. It's got a quaint little pier, and the house itself was probably cute and quaint in it's hey-day too. It's been abandoned for years, for a good reason. On April 3rd, 1867, a body was found floating in the bay three miles away from the house, tangled in an old fishing net. It was identified as an 18 year-old male named Blue Ashlock-best last name ever by the way-and he was the son of the fisherman who lived in the house.

His dead body was waterlogged, his wrists looked like they had been slashed, he had a cracked skull and several bruises; whoever killed him must've had a fight to do so. He'd been dead for days.

The funeral was held two days later, and nobody except the police tried to give it a second thought. At least, until a hysterical neighbor had called the police with horrible news.

When the officials arrived at the house, there was a gruesome sight to be held. Just past the edge of the porch, partially hidden in the grass, lay the bodies of Blue's father and stepmother. They were barely recognizable, their spines twisted in a way that wasn't anywhere near humanly possible; their arms and legs were attached to their sockets by only a thin piece of bloody muscle and their eyeballs were gouged out. Every bone in their bodies had been broken, and their hearts were ripped out. It was a mess. No matter where the officers searched, they couldn't find the culprit. Eventually, they chalked it up to some rouge serial killer and left it be. Even so, nobody went near the house for years after that.

Then, one day, some kids decided it would be fun to camp out without telling their parents. And by camp out, they meant take a hike down to the bay and stay in the little abandoned house overnight like noobs instead of actually pitching a tent in the woods and roughing it out. The kid whose idea it was stepped into the house, scoping it out in case someone decided they were living there. A few minutes after, the kid's two friends heard him scream. They rushed to the door only to have it slammed shut and locked by some unseen force. Then they moved to the window, intending to smash it and rescue their friend, but stopped when they saw what was inside.

Frozen in horror, the two kids watched as their friend screamed again. The room was filled up to his knees in slimy, disgusting sea water, unmentionables that looked suspiciously like body parts floating in the murky liquid. The kid was backed up against the wall, paralyzed in fear at the sight of the monster standing-no, floating-a few feet in front of him. Blue looked almost exactly as he had when he'd died-waterlogged, pale with discolored veins, his wrists slashed and...dripping blood, black as ink. His hair and clothes moved as if he was completely submerged in water; his eyes were a dead, rotten blue, also bleeding ink over a porcelain face.

He locked eyes with the trespasser and was standing right in front of him in the blink of an eye. Without warning he thrust his hand into the kid's stomach, eliciting another scream, this one of pain; with a jerk and a twist, Blue ripped out his intestines. The other two kids turned tail and ran. Nobody believed them, at least, until a search party was sent out and the members discovered the body, exactly how the two kids had described it. Thus, Bleeding Blue came to be."

Red's were bigger than saucers by the time Vio had finished with his story. He swallowed, and opened his mouth to speak.

"I-if you know the story why-why are you researching it?" He asked. Vio looked away.

"You're going to think I'm a psycho..." he replied, glancing at him out of the corner of his eye. There was no response, so he sighed. "I want to know why he kills. I want to know who killed him, and I want to know if those two mysteries are related.

Suddenly the bell rang, signaling the end of lunch. Vio stood up, sweeping his notebook into his bag, and cleared his throat. "I work at the bookstore on the corner of 2nd and Main, Something Grimm, from four thirty to six after school. If you want...." He shrugged. "...we can walk there after school. Bye, Red."

With that, he walked away.


	4. Chapter 3

 Not much else happened the rest of the day. Red and Vio didn't have any more classes together in the afternoon, but the two juniors did meet up and hang out at Something Grimm until five thirty, when Red's mom called and told him to come home.  
  
 No matter what he did, Red couldn't get Vio's story out of his head. It wasn't that it didn't scare him-it did-it was that he had to admit; he was curious. Who had killed Blue? Why would they _want_ to? Why would _anybody_ want to kill someone else? _'Ugh. This hurts my brain,'_ he thought, shaking his head as he unlocked the door of his house.  
  
 "Hi honey. How was your day at school?" The generic, kid-just-got-home question-slash-greeting floated from the kitchen. He smiled. "It was fine. I made a new friend." He replied, giving her the generic first-day-at-a-new-school answer. "That's good. Dinner'll be ready in a few." Red nodded as he walked past the kitchen, becoming absorbed in his own thoughts once again.  
  
 He flopped on his bed, having set his bag down neatly by the door already; his mind was racing. There were so many things he was trying to puzzle out-one of which had to be whether or not he actually believed Vio. In a sense, he must have, because otherwise he wouldn't have been thinking so intensely about it earlier. However, he didn't want to admit that.  
  
 Eventually, after a lot of thinking, and eating his dinner, and taking a shower, he gave up. _'I'll ask Vio more tomorrow...'_ He decided, yawning and snuggling under his covers.  
  
  
  The next day Red was out the door faster than his mom could even say good morning. And for someone like Red, that was unusual. He ran part of the way to the school until he hit the crosswalk, at which he stopped to catch his breath while he waited for the signal to say it was safe to walk. He resumed his high-speed run to school the minute he saw the light change, but was interrupted.  
  
 _ **"Hey!"**_ He shouted, glaring at the driver of a pitch black Convertable that had decided to ignore the lights and almost run him over. "Watch where you're going jerks!" He continued, proceeding to the other side. The driver looked taken aback for a moment and didn't move, turning to one of his black-clad brothers sitting in the shot-gun seat.  
  
 "Wasn't that the new kid?" He asked, only earning a shrug.  
  
  
 When Red finally arrived at the school, it was easy to spot the slightly-gloomy friend he had made the day before; Vio was sitting in a secluded corner of the school courtyard, sipping a large cup of coffee and scribbling away in his notebook. He didn't notice Red's approach, and if he did, he didn't acknowledge it. Red sat down in front of him.  
  
 "Morning Vio!"  
  
 Said boy jumped, nearly spilling his drink, and looked up. "Oh. Hey." He replied, closing his book. Seeing this, Red cut to the chase.  
  
 "I want to help you. With your research I mean."  
  
  "....What?"  
  
  "I want to help you find out who killed Blue." Red repeated, watching his reaction. Vio's eyebrows arched, but not a word was said, so Red continued. "I was thinking about it last night and....even though I don't believe in ghosts-at least, I think I don't-I want to know more." The two boys stood up, the taller of the two still not speaking, and they walked inside with the rest of the crowd as the doors opened.  
  
 "You really want to help me? You don't think I'm crazy?" Vio asked after a few minutes. Red nodded. Vio tilted his head slightly, thinking. "Alright. Just don't go looking for the house. I haven't, and I don't expect you to. I'm not that desperate." The shorter boy nodded enthusiastically. "'Course not!" He replied.  
  
  
 Much information was exchanged within the minutes that followed as the two walked to, and sat down in, their chemistry class. They hardly noticed the rest of the students filing in, only looking up when the bell rang and the teacher started her lecture.  
  
 "Today we will be beginning a project that will test your knowledge as chemists. You will be working in pairs-” Vio and Red glanced at each other "-but I will be assigning your partners-" the whole class groaned "-quite frankly because I don't trust any of you heathens." A good majority of the class, including Vio, rolled their eyes at this.  
  
 "Don't look at me in that tone of voice. Now....Violet Levesk-" Red's friend head-desked, muttering "Vio" under his breath "-you will be paired with Zelda Geapora,"  
  
"Lovely." Sarcasm.  
  
"Ew." Typical, bitchy cheerleader reaction.  
  
"Shut up before I put you both in detention. Red....Hicharu, is that correct? You'll be with Shadow le Brant." Red looked up, scanning the room to meet the blood-red eyes of...the driver of the Convertable that had nearly run him over this morning?!?  
  
 He was grinning, although with his long, messy purple hair covering half of his face it looked like an overly-wide smirk. His eyes were lined in thick, black eyeliner; he had five piercings in each ear, and a silver lip-ring highlighting his smirk. His skin was albino-pale, and he was wearing a leather biker vest with spikes, safety pins, and a large, winged skull crest on the back over a Falling in Reverse t-shirt that he had cut the sleeves off. His black and purple striped, fingerless gloves ran up to his elbows. He wore black-and-white checkered skinny-jeans and leather biker boots.  
  
 He was up and walking over to Red and Vio's table before the teacher could finish listing off the project pairings, not that she noticed. He pulled out a vacant chair and plopped down nonchalantly, the cheshire grin still plastered on his face.  
  
 "Well hello there mon amour~" he greeted Vio with a wink, who then checked to make sure the teacher wasn't looking and flipped him off. He snorted in amusement, then turned to Red. "Sorry about earlier, Roux. Was tryin' to keep my brothers in check, so I wasn't paying attention." Red hesitated, then smiled.  
  
 "It's fine."  
  
  "Hey creep! I don't know about you, but I want to get an A, so get your sorry butt over here!" An annoying, haughty voice sounded from across the room. Vio scowled at the overly-dolled up cheerleader-flipping her the bird when it was deemed safe-and strolled over to her table sulkily. Shadow blew him a kiss as he passed.  
  
 "Bonne chance with the Loch-slut monster~!" He chirped. Vio rolled his eyes.  
  
 "....So what's L'enfant de Fantôme like?" Red jumped at the sudden interruption to his 'Poor Vio' train of thought.  
  
 "Who?" Shadow rolled his eyes. "Your friend, The Ghost Kid. L'enfant de Fantôme? Y'know, Vio?" He enunciated.  
  
 "...Why'd you call him The Ghost Kid? ...Why do you want to know?"  
  
  "Everyone calls him The Ghost Kid because of his obsession with Bleeding Blue. I just like saying it in French because of the way it rolls off the tongue. That, and it differentiates me from everyone else. As for your second question; he's cute."  
  
 Red stared at him blankly. Had he heard him right? Did he really just say that? Vio? Cute? 'What?!'  
  
 The punk kid caught the memo from the silence and shook his head. "Startin' to think you're a little dense mon ami. Yes, I'm bi, and I think your friend is cute and my type. Problème?" Red shook his head after a moment.  
  
 "No problems here...he's nice once you get to know him. Quiet, but nice. And smart."  
  
 "He would have the highest grades in the school, but he settles for barely passing. Nothing else? You don't think he's crazy?"  
  
  "No, and no, I don't."  
  
 Shadow grunted non-commitally. The bell rang, and the punk kid stood up. "Nice talkin' to ya. Maybe I'll hang with you and V at lunch, oui?" Red smiled. "I'd like that."


	5. Chapter 4

 Two periods later, Red was enjoying(and enjoy actually means cursing the existence of such an activity here) filling out his vocabulary packet in Hyrule Government, when a very blotchily tanned hand slammed down on the desk next to him-Vio's desk(the teacher was out printing more packets). Red looked over, a frown on his face.  
  
 A brute with spiked orange hair, skin to match the hand that was on Vio's desk and amber cat-eyes leered down at the quiet boy.  
  
 "I don't like you, you little creep." he growled, his eyes narrowed. Vio snorted, not bothering to look up.   
  
 "The feeling's mutual Zant." he replied. Zant snarled and gripped the front of his black-and-white striped long-sleeved, pulling him out of the desk and into his face. Red stood up at this.  
  
 "Hey!" He exclaimed, only to be ignored.   
  
 "You stay the hell away from Shad." Zant growled, his glare met with the steady, monotone stare Vio granted him. "I haven't been near him-even if I had been, does this mean you're jealous? Pathetic." Zant shoved him back into his seat roughly.  
  
 "You shut up! I saw you flirting with him in Chemistry-don't lie to me!"  
  
 "...I don't flirt."  
  
 "Like hell!" He looked like he was seriously contemplating beating Vio within an inch of his life.  
  
 "HEY!" Red suddenly pushed the bully away from his friend. "He's not flirting with Shadow or making a move on him!" Zant didn't reply in his shock, so he continued with a cross of his arms. "Get a life and get lost idiot!"  
  
 The class was so silent you could hear a pin drop; the tension in the air so thick you could cut it with a knife. Red's short, slight frame looked puny next to the much taller, much meaner, brawny football player's, but the glare he gave the bully more than made up for his small size.  
  
 Zant's eyes narrowed in fury at the smaller boy. "You. Are. Dead." He growled, stalking past him. Red's accusing eyes followed him as he passed. "I'm not scared of you." He snapped back.  
  
 "No, but you're gonna be." came the steely threat. Red rolled his eyes and sat back down. Vio glanced at him gratefully.  
  
 "Thanks." He whispered right before the teacher walked into the room.  
  
  
  "What was that all about anyway?" Vio asked as the duo sat down at their table. Red shook his head, shrugging. Ice-blue eyes narrowed. "'S there something you're not telling me...?"  
  
 "I would tell you, but I'm not sure if it's exactly a secret or not, so I'm going to assume it is and not tell you."  
  
 Vio stared at the mop of curly golden hair in front of him, as if trying to read his mind. Red giggled, biting into his cookie with an innocent smile.  
  
 The silence was broken as a box of pizza was pushed onto the table by none other that Shadow le Brant. Chair legs scraped against the floor as he pulled up a chair; he sat down with a flourish and grabbed a slice of pizza. "'Sup mes beautés?" was the greeting. "Help yourselves."  
  
 Red immediately cheered and chowed down, whilst Vio choose to pick up a slice gingerly and examine it. "...What'd you do to it?" he finally said, looking at Shadow out of the corner of his eye. The purplette mock-pouted.  
  
 "Right in les sent, mon coeur. You don't trust me?" White-blonde hair swished, and Shadow rolled his eyes. "My brother bought this. Se dètentre. Chill out."  
  
  "...What'd your brother do to it?"  
  
 "Vio. Just eat the pizza!" Red interjected, rolling his eyes at both of them. Lunch passed in relevant silence after that.


	6. Chapter 5

The rest of the day passed much like the first. Shadow shared Red's next class after lunch, but no others. He and Vio met up after school and hung out at Something Grimm until Red's mom called, and then he went home. Dinner, homework, and a shower later, he was sleeping like a rock.

Mostly.

'Red was running. From what, he didn't know-all he knew was that if he didn't get away, something bad was going to happen. Something really, really bad.

He passed a lone grave, seemingly at the edge of the town; despite his hurry, he noted that he was in Stormy Bay. However, that didn't quite matter at the moment. Through foggy woods he ran-the air was saturated with the scent of the sea, and he could faintly hear waves crashing against a shore. Stumbling and tripping through the mist, he eventually found a small path over which, mysteriously, there was no mist. A shout sounded behind him, and he sprinted down the path, looking over his shoulder.

Two large figures raced after him. He couldn't make out their faces, but they were furious, and they were both carrying something sharp. Knives. The pounding sense of fear intensified and he ran faster.

The sound of waves became much louder as Red went on, and soon he tumbled into a vacant clearing, the source of the noise bordering it on one side. A lonely little pier stretched out into the watery expanse, and looming ominously next to it was a small, decrepit, two-story house. The door was open.

He glanced back again, having believed he had put distance between him and his pursuers, only to find them close enough to touch him if they stretched their arms. His only option was the house, so he teared toward it, slamming the door and backing up to the opposite wall.

The effort was in vain. The person who had lead the chase kicked the door in, clenching the knife dangerously. He approached Red, who shrank back against the wall, flinching. Raising his knife, he-'

BEEEP! BEEEEP! BEEEEEP!

"OhmygodI'mupwhathappened!" Red gasped, sitting up and fumbling for the alarm. His face was covered in a damp layer of cold-sweat that also drenched his scalp. Suddenly his bed didn't seem so comfortable anymore.

Stumbling to his feet, he shakily walked to his closet, pulling out some jeans and an old t-shirt. After switching his clothes, he padded to the kitchen. His mom was already up, a cup of coffee set on the table in front of his seat. He downed it with a vigor.

"What are you doing up now? You're not usually awake unless I am first." He asked. "Bad dream." His mom replied. Red chuckled dryly. "You and me both."

His mother glanced at her som with a slight concern. "You wanna talk about it?" Red shook his head.

 

Red was still half-asleep as he walked to school; he didn't notice a certain familiar jerk waiting for him at the stop-light corner until it was too late.


	7. Chapter 6

 "Hey Runt. Let's have a talk."  
  
 Red jolted, looking up. Zant stood in front of him, arms crossed and a glare set into his face like stone. He smirked, looking murderous. Red, although taken aback, wasn't fazed.  
  
 "Hmm, lemme me check my schedule-oh I'm sorry. It looks as if this point in time is previously occupied by not being harassed by an idiot-try again, how about, never?" His voice oozed with sarcasm as he started to walk past; he was stopped only by a rock-solid chest barreling out of nowhere.  
  
 The new guy looked even bigger and angrier than Zant was. His skin was so dark it was almost black, his dark reddish-orange hair slicked back, with eyes blacker than coal. He wore ratty brown jeans and a black muscle shirt that fit like a second skin-he wasn't moving an inch, just breathing and glaring down and Red, and every well-defined  muscle still rippled.  
  
 "You're not going anywhere." his deep voice gruffed. Red, in turn, huffed but took a step back.  
  
 "Lookie, lookie, if it isn't the backup crew; you scared of a kid that's half your size, Zant?"  Red quipped, staring down at the new guy(although he had to look up to do so, ironically). Zant shook with rage. "You shut your mouth! I swear to Din I'm gonna-" he cut off, attempting to compose himself. "You're gonna pay twerp. You humiliated me in that class the other day-you ain't gonna be able to anymore when I'm through with you. But I'm not heartless. You've got until I count to five for a head start."  
  
 Red rolled his eyes. "You've got to be joki-"  
  
 "One."  
 Swish. Bright blue eyes widened as two identical switchblades flicked open.   
  
 They were serious.  
  
 "Two."   
  
 Red backed up quickly, eyes widening. What was previously annoyance morphed into fear.  
  
 "Three."   
  
 Heart-pounding, adrenaline-rushed fear. He dropped his backpack from his shoulders-it would only slow him down. Time seemed to stand still as he pivoted and sprinted.  
  
 "Four."   
  
 He heard the cracking sound of knuckles being popped behind him.  
  
 "Five!"   
  
 Pounding footsteps sounded after him, fueling his fear and frantic dash. Wind whipped his golden curls and bright red jacket as he slapped one sneakered foot down on the pavement after the other, air rushing in and out of his lungs. There were hardly any people out walking, making it easy for him to dodge around the few that were out, but also easy for Zant and his burly friend to do the same.  
  
 Silently he thanked whatever god had invented the sport of track and field, and then thanked his mom for forcing him to try out in seventh grade. It was as if fate knew he was going to need those skills for a situation like this.  
  
'Get to the house, get to the house, get to the house, get to the-' Red gasped as he felt fingers snatch at his jacket, just barely missing. He lurched to his right, barreling into the street and vaulting over a car that just barely missed running him over.  
  
 Thank the gods for four-hundred metre hurdles.  
  
 He almost tripped over the curb on the other side of the street; he stumbled but recovered and kept bolting for it. A loud curse echoed behind him but he paid no attention. He never slowed down, despite the stitch forming in his side.  
  
 He could still hear them behind him, although farther away this time. The houses and buildings to his right slowly turned more and more decrepit and were spaced farther apart-he was running through an older part of Stormy Bay, it seemed. He didn't think to wonder upon this(he thought the town was fairly modernized) and didn't notice as he passed something very peculiar.  
  
 A lonely little grave marking the edge of town.  
  
  
 Red knew there was something up, but he couldn't figure out what as he vaulted over a fallen log. He could barely see ten feet in front of him because of a thick shroud of salty-smelling mist. He knew he was in a forest-that much was obvious. He didn't remember when town had turned to woods, but he wasn't going to double back to find out. Zant and his crony were still after him, although with the amount of faint cursing he heard it was obvious they were having more trouble than he was.  
  
 Suddenly Red tripped, tumbling over a root that seemingly came out of nowhere. With a yelp he rolled down a small incline, snagging on roots and banging against the ground. Chest heaving, he groaned softly when he came to a stop, then clumsily pushed himself to his feet. Red pushed forward, disoriented, and paused a few paces into the trees.  
  
 A narrow dirt path wound past him in either direction. It was, stunningly, clear of the salty watery mist that clouded the forest. Red stared for a moment until a loud shout sent him bolting again, this time down the path wherever it lead to his left.  
  
 'This is way too familiar' he thought, panting. He glanced over his shoulder to see Zant, face flushed from the exertion and set into an angry scowl, and his buddy, whoever he was, close behind him and looking unaffected, tearing after him.  
  
 He turned back, heart pulsing with renewed fear and adrenaline. He could faintly see something down the path; he had to make it. Something told him that he'd be safe if he made it.  
  
 Finally Red burst into a clearing, the sound of roaring waves drowning out his heartbeat for a moment. A little two story house sat in one corner; attached was a small pier that extended into a lovely stretch of ocean. The door was open. He heard a rough voice behind him: "Grab him!"  
  
 He tore towards the house and inside, throwing the door closed and himself against a shadowy wall.  
  
 The door was nearly knocked off its rusty hinges as Zant strode in, breathing heavily.   
  
 "Gotta....ha....admit, kid-" he panted with a smirk "-you're-ha-fast..." He strolled towards Red leisurely, as if he weren't holding a knife and ready to tear the shorter boy a new one. Red trembled, breath coming out in harsh, short pants. Zant grinned at the fear in his eyes.  
  
 "Unfortunately, you're not fast enough." He raised his knife to swipe at him; Red's eyes clenched shut in preparation for the blow which...never came.  
  
 Zant screamed.


	8. Chapter 7

 The loud, terrified sound startled Red, who wrenched his eyes open to see what was the matter. Zant was staring at something above and to the left of Red, mouth agape in horror. A sound like an ocean storm started up, and Red peeled himself away from the wall, turning cautiously to look behind him.  
  
 He had been pressed against a narrow wooden staircase, which now had a cascade of smelly salt water flowing down, spilling over the sides and filling up the room. A loud banging came from the door and Red realized it had shut. Murky water swirled sound his ankles now, and he retreated to the opposite wall and looked back up at the staircase, biting back a gasp at what he saw.  
  
 He almost exactly like Vio had described him-faded golden hair and ratty clothes swishing back and forth, moved by an unseen force; dark blue eyes, washed out and dead, bleeding wisps of smoky blackish-blue blood, the same blood oozing from his wrists, curling around him in waves; his skin ivory pale, mottled blue and purple, his entire body dripping water. He stood at the top of the stairs, staring down at Zant emotionlessly.  
  
 Bleeding Blue was real; an undead, watery deity of torment and dissolution.  
  
 Red could only watch, mesmerized. Suddenly, Blue jolted forward with a swish of black ooze trailing behind him. Even his movement was other-worldly, flowing but horrifying and somehow hypnotizing.  
  
 Water swirled up to his knees now.  
  
 Zant was frozen, mouth moving in barely legible mumbles. "It's not real, it's not real, it's not real, it's not real-" Blue was standing in front of him now "-it'snotrealit'snotrealit'snotreal!" His voice rose in pitch.  
  
 The next thing Red knew, Zant was in the air, choking. Blue's hand was wrapped around his throat, constricting him. His face was impassive. He held the sculpted teen in the air with out breaking a sweat, not even flinching as he was kicked in the face with flailing feet. His hand squeezed, tighter and tighter, too tight just to choke someone until finally, there was a loud snap. Zant gargled, his struggling ceasing.  
  
 However, Blue kept squeezing. The bully's body spazzed and twitched, and with a final jerk, and a clench of Blue's fingers, a rush of blood poured from his neck, staining the water crimson, and the body dropped with a loud splash; Zant's neck still gripped in Blue's fist.  
  
 Zant was....dead.  
  
  
 There was an anguished cry outside, and Red glanced at a window to see Zant's friend running for the hills. A noise turned his attention back to Blue and he whimpered as the ghost dropped the head and turned to him. Oh god oh god oh god.  
  
 He was next.  
  
 He closed his eyes. It was inevitable-he was going to die. He didn't notice the water retreating, having risen to his waist earlier. A single tear leaked from the corner of his eye...  
  
 ...And was gently brushed away with cool, calloused fingertips. Red stiffened. He cracked one eye open, then blinked, astonished.  
  
 Blue stood before him, although he wasn't the same as before. His hair and clothes weren't moving anymore, and no blood leaked from his wrists or eyes; instead they were a brilliant ocean blue, somewhat aggressive-looking, but dazzling none-the-less. Red could now see that his hair was still faded gold, like straw, and hung down in soft waves, brushing his shoulders gently, and that his bangs were swept to the side. He stood taller than Zant, with a wiry but muscled frame; his skin was no longer pale and mottled but fair with a faint tan. A light pink dusted the bridge of his nose-possibly a permanent sun-burn from when he was alive.  
  
 He was stunning. Words couldn't describe him really-it was the best Red could come up with on short notice, especially when he was as confused as he was now.  
  
 The shorter boy jumped when he spoke. "....Yer safe....now git out." Red swallowed.  
  
 "Wha-?"  
  
 "Out wit' yeh."  
  
  Red ran out, and when he reached the beginning of the path he looked back. Blue stood in the open doorway, watching. He looked almost....pensive.  
  
 He didn't know why, but he smiled, and waved before continuing.  
  
 Blue waved back.


	9. Chapter 8

 Vio sighed heavily, rubbing the bridge of his nose. Who knew Shadow would be so difficult, despite the fact that he himself had asked him to help with his homework?  
  
"Viooooooooooooooo~! Help meeeeeeee~!"  
  
 "Will you please quit whining? I honestly don't see where you're having trouble, unless it's something to do with your attention span." he dead-panned, staring at the purplette with an exasperated expression. Shadow grinned sheepishly.  
  
 "I may~ have some problems concentrating at the moment." he admitted, winking suggestively. Vio head-desked. "You're impossible..." he groaned.  
  
 Shadow leaned back in his seat with a laugh. "Merci beacoup, mon petite voilet~" Vio twitched.   
  
 "Did you just call me 'your little violet'?"  
  
 "...Damnit he's onto me."  
  
 Suddenly Vio's cell vibrated. He sighed, pulling it out and sliding it open behind his textbook. There was a text from Red.  
  
 'Meet me @ Something Grimm, A.S.A.P.! You'll never believe what happened!'  
  
 Vio frowned and glanced at Shadow, who was reading the text over his shoulder. "What's Red doing at Something Grimm...?" he mumbled under his breath.  
  
 "Excuse me. Mr. Levesk and Mr. le Brant. Something interesting going on behind that textbook?" Both boys looked up. Ms. Fi, the Pre-Calc teacher stared down at them monotonously. Vio spoke up.  
  
 "Err...M-Ms. Fi I, uh...I don't feel so good actually...." he gagged "...c-an I go to the nurse's?" The stoic teacher frowned.  
  
 "...You don't sound very good either. Alright. Go." Shadow stared out of the corner of his eye at Vio, who stood up, trembling slightly with his arms around his middle.  
  
 Boy, could he act.  
  
 "Mademoiselle? Can I go with him? Y'know, make sure he gets to the nurse alright?" Shadow asked, playing along.  
  
 He could act too. Vio wasn't the only one.  
  
 Ms. Fi looked apprehensive, but nodded. The two boys skedaddled out of the class ((A/N: I uSeD tHe WoRd~)), and dropped the act as soon as they rounded the corner.  
  
 "What do you think Red wants?" Shadow asked, to which Vio shrugged.  
  
 "We'll just have to find out."  
  
  
 Ten minutes later they were walking into Something Grimm. The owner, Kaepora Geapora, raised an inquisitive eyebrow but didn't say a word. A quick glance around the cluttered bookstore confirmed that Red wasn't there yet.  
  
 The two boys plopped down in a secluded corner, partially hidden by a few teetering stacks of books. Something Grimm was always messy, stacks of books everywhere where there was room and stuffed into the bookshelves. All sorts of dark stories were held in the different tomes-the authors familiar, old and new. Shadow could see why Vio liked working here. It was probably like a paradise for him.  
  
  The door was thrown open and Red stumbled in. The poor boy was breathing heavily, lips chapped from the wind and chest heaving. His lower body up to his waist was damp, and he had dirt and grass stains all over him and twigs and leaves in his hair.  
  
 "Hi Mister Geapora! Are Vio and Shadow here-never mind I see them!" he gasped out in a rush. Vio sprang up, taking in his disheveled state.  
  
 "What happened? Where were you?" he asked. Red shook his head breathlessly, collapsing in their chosen corner.  
  
 "Give me-" gasp "-a minute." he rested with his back against the wall. Shadow pulled Vio back down and waited patiently for Red to catch his breath.  
  
 Finally he started breathing normally again. "What happened?" Vio repeated.  
  
 "I was walking to school this morning and I bumped into Zant. He had this other guy with him and they pulled out switchblades and started chasing me. I ended up running through this forest and I tripped and fell down a hill-" 'That explains the twigs, dirt and grass stains.' "-and I found this path. They were still after me so I followed it. I found this clearing by the sea and there was this house and the door was open and I ran in and closed the door. Zant burst in and was about to knife me and he like-he just-he screamed. Like a girly scream too. And I turned around and backed against the opposite wall and-” he looked straight at Vio.  
  
 "Bleeding Blue is real. I saw him. There was water falling down the staircase and he was just standing there at the top-" 'That explains the damp lower body situation.' "-he killed Zant. And I thought he was going to kill me but he-he didn't; he looked completely different. He was just a normal looking boy. And he told me to get out. He saved me."  
  
 Vio and Shadow stared. Red swallowed.  
  
 "You believe me...right?"  
  
 "I knew it!" Vio jumped up. "I knew it!" He laughs. "And people thought I was crazy!"  
  
 "Sit down." Shadow pulled him down for the second time that day, the normally quiet blonde almost landing in his lap. Vio didn't seem to notice, nor care.  
  
 "You say he looked different-describe him!" He pulled out his notebook, flipping open to a clean page. Red blinked.  
  
 "Well...he was taller than Zant....about six foot seven I guess? He um....his hair went down to his shoulders and was wavy and....kinda messy. He had bangs that were, um, swept to the side and really.....pretty dark ocean-blue eyes. He was kind of tan, I guess, for the undead and had a little bit of a sunburn on his cheeks and nose. So he kind of looks like he's constantly blushing. He was kind of thin but had muscles and wore ratty blue jeans and a white button-up with a brown vest over it. He um....he also had a ring....o-on his left hand. I think." Red blushed slightly at the eyebrow-wiggle Shadow gave him.  
  
 "Well someone paid attention to details~"  
  
 Red blushed brighter. "Shadow! Shut up!" The dark boy fell over laughing.  
  
 Vio looked excited. "You said he let you go right? You remember what I told you the other day?"  
  
 Red nodded, then gasped. "Ohhhhh.....anybody who steps foot inside the house or on the pier...."  
  
 "...Doesn't make it out alive." Vio finished.  
  
 "And he didn't kill you." Shadow added, connecting the dots.  
  
 "I want to see him. Tomorrow's a holiday-we can meet at the coffee shop and head over there after breakfast if you remember the way." Vio said, looking at Red eagerly. "Woah tigre. Not to burst your bubble, but just because Red got away this time doesn't mean he'll necessarily get lucky again." The purplette crossed his arms, looking conflicted.   
  
 "I can just stand on the pier until he shows up and step off and back away to a safe distance." Red mused. Vio smirked haughtily at Shadow.  
  
 "See~? We got this." he gloated, poking at his punk friend. Shadow sighed.   
  
 "Okay, fine. We'll meet at the coffee shop tomorrow."


	10. Chapter 9

 Red's mom absolutely smothered the poor boy when he got home that night. She was angry, and rightfully so having gotten a call from the school saying that Red had "skipped".  
  
 After he told her most of his story, smothering turned to babying. And in Red's opinion, as much as he loved his mother, that was worse.  
  
 He asked if he could hang out with Vio and Shadow the next day, and she reluctantly agreed.  
  
 Phase one complete.  
  
  
 "Just so you know ma cherie, I ordered the most expensive thing on the menu." Shadow grouched. Ice blue eyes rolled. "It's not like we're forcing you to come." Vio replied. The punk kid sighed dramatically.  
  
 "Yes you areeeeee. I have to be respooooooonsibilllllllle and make sure you two don't kill yourselllllllves." he groaned. "Juste ma chaaaaaaaaaaaaaaance...."  
  
 Vio laughed. "Yeah, ok. Whatever."  
  
 "Hey guys!" Red slid into the small booth that the other two boys occupied. He smiled brightly. He was dressed conservatively today-burgundy skinny jeans, black converse and a grey t-shirt with a Snoopy decal on it. His lips were still chapped from the other day. "I already had breakfast and coffee. I'm set."   
  
 Vio nodded. "You remember the plan right?"  
  
 "We have a plan?" Shadow quipped.  
  
 "Yes." Red replied. Shadow scowled at the other two boys-they were ignoring him~! "I still don't think this is a good idea mes amis." He grumbled, taking a bite of his chocolate parfait(really? For breakfast?). Vio flicked a piece of muffin at him and wolfed the rest of it down.  
  
 Red, meanwhile, looked back and forth between the two and stifled giggles.  
  
 Soon enough, the three boys were ready. They walked down the street with a hurried, but steady pace until Red pointed out the little grave at the edge of town at which they stopped. Red led them off the sidewalk and past a small, one-story house. The path, which he had followed on his way back the other day, was hidden by some shrubbery. Luckily, Red had constructed a small pyramid of stones as a path marker.  
  
 They started down the twisting dirt road that went steadily downhill. The woods were no longer foggy and less ominous; the three boys could see all sorts of birds resting in the treetops. Their twittering, noisy singing was a slight comfort as they walked. Some time later they came across a little bridge spanning a creek; they went across one at a time in case it broke.  
  
 When they finally arrived, the first thing Red noticed was a lone figure standing on the end of the pier, a blackish-blue mist swirling around him. It was Blue.  
  
 Vio and Shadow ducked down into the bushes, watching as Red walked forward cautiously. All three of them winced when he stepped on a twig, breaking it with a cracking that sounded a lot louder than it really was in the stony silence. Blue whipped around.  
  
 Red swallowed nervously. "Hi."  
  
 Blue's appearance melted into the normal, handsome man he had looked like when he had met Red. He glared at him, both boys staying where they were.  
  
 "...What do yeh want?" His voice was mostly impassive, although there was an undertone of annoyance. Red swallowed again, then smiled timidly.  
  
 "I um.....thank you. For the other day. I.....heard about....you....from a friend and I.....I wanted to know-why didn't you...kill me?" Blue raised his eyebrow at the carefully-worded question.  
  
 "Dunno. Jus' couldn't I guess. Not that I wan'ed tah." He paused, then added, "I did wan' tah kill th' one boy though. Th' one harrassin' yeh. Prolly th' only one I ever wan'ed tah kill, oth'r than mah witch of a stepmoth'r."  
  
 Red frowned. "You didn't want to kill any of the people you did?"  
  
 "Nah."  
  
 "...Then why did you?"  
  
 "Dunno that eith'r. Couldn't control m'self. Dunno why tha's so eith'r." Suddenly he glowered at him. "Why d'you care anyway?!" Red froze, unnerved by the change in demeanor. "I-I'm sorry! I'm not trying to offend you!" Blue backed down, staring at him.  
  
 "Do you think I could step on the pier without...."  
  
 "Wit'out meh killin' yeh? Guess yeh could try...." Red nodded, biting his lip, and walked forward, stepping onto the wet wooden boards tentatively. Both of them waited a few seconds, and when Blue didn't morph or attack him he shrugged. "Guess someone up ther' doesn't wan' yeh to die."  Red smiled. "I guess so."  
  
 Blue nodded slightly, and after a moment, smiled back. Red's breath hitched slightly. His smile-at least in this form-was dazzling. He glanced away, feeling a warm heat rise to his cheeks.  
  
 "Wha's yer name?"  
  
 "Huh?" Red found it hard to think suddenly.  
  
 "Wha's yer name? Yeh know mine; reckon 's only proper I know yer's." He repeated, a smirk tugging gently at his lips.  
  
 "Oh! R-right! My name! It's um...it's Red. My name is Red." His face was flushed to the tips of his ears. Blue took one look at him and burst into laughter. Clear, happy laughter.  
  
  
 Meanwhile in the bushes Shadow was biting his arm as hard as he could to keep from laughing out loud. "Red has a crush~ Red has a crush~" he whispered, the words muffled by his shirt. Vio chuckled under his breath but continued recording the conversation in his notebook at a hurried pace. "La gentillesse est écrasante~!" Shadow fell over, his body shaking with silent laughter.  
  
 Vio glanced at him, rolling his eyes. "Strangity..." he mumbled.  
  
  
 Blue finally straightened up from his bout of hilarity, taking a deep breath that he didn't need. Red was hiding his face in his hands, his cheeks stained bright scarlet.   
  
 "Oi. Sorry 'bout that. Yer jus' funny is all." He stepped forward and gently pried Red's hands from his face. "How old 're yeh?"  
  
 "I'm seventeen and a half. I'll be eighteen next February." He mumbled, shoving his hands in his jean pockets. An awkward silence filled the space between them. "How'd you die?!" Red suddenly blurted out. Blue jerked back, bewildered.  
  
 "'Scuse me?"  
  
 "I-I-I, um....can you tell me h-how you died?" He repeated, more timidly this time.  
  
 Blue stared for a moment, then his face twisted into a scowl. "How's I tah know?! I don' rem'mber! Ev'n if I did, why's would I be tellin' you!?" he shouted, making the poor boy flinch. "I dunno how's I died-I nev'r wan'ed tah be dead 'n th' first place!"  
  
 Red stumbled back. "I'm sorry!"  
  
 "Get outta here! Don' think 'bout comin' back!" he roared, melting into the otherworldly form. Red gasped sharply and retreated quickly, pivoting on his heel and sprinting swiftly for the path. A door slammed loudly behind him, and there were crashing noises and an outraged, frustrated scream. Vio and Shadow rushed to catch up with him when he continued racing down the path.


	11. Chapter 10

"Red! Wait!"

Shadow caught hold of the fleeing boy first, grabbing his arm. "Red!" he tried again. The poor blonde was trembling violently, tears streaming down his face.

"I didn't m-mean to upset him I just-" he sniffed loudly. Vio pulled him into a tight hug.

"It's fine Red. We know you didn't mean to make him mad, and I'm sure once he's done throwing a fit he'll realize that too." he murmured, attempting to comfort his friend. "However, you did spring that on him pretty suddenly."

"I didn't mean to-it was j-just bothering me that's all." Red rubbed at his eyes. Vio squeezed slightly before letting go.

"It's alright. Let's head to Something Grimm. Geapora won't mind if we use the break-room to talk." He waved his notebook around for emphasis. "I need to make a call anyway." Shadow and Red nodded.

  
Fifteen minutes and three pairs of achy legs later, the three boys were lounging around in the small break-room at Something Grimm. Shadow was reclining in a rolling chair with his feet propped on the little table, sipping at a can of Monster and half-listening to Red prattle on about something unimportant while stuffing his face with candy. Vio was tapping away furiously on his phone, trying to find the contact of the person he was wanting to call(the guy knows a lot of people).

"Found ya, ya little bitch!" He suddenly exclaimed in triumph, tapping the call button. Red and Shadow sat up attentively. The dial tone rang once, twice, three times before there was a click and an intelligible greeting.

"Hi Green."

_"Oh. It's you. I really need to check who's callin' the damn phone before answering."_

"Fuck you too. I'm cashing in my I-Owe-You."

There was a short snort of laughter from the other end. _"Really? Huh, thought you didn't deal in I-Owe-You's. Didn't trust the system right?"_

"I'm perfectly serious. I need your brand of mumbo-jumbo."

_"Did you just call it mumbo-jumbo?"_

"Not the point. The point is-and I'm going to state this clearly so you understand-I'm cashing in my I-Owe-You. The terms are that when you next get a phone call from me, get your ass over to my house-I hope you're writing this down."

_"Yeah, yeah, hurry up with it; I've got customers you know!"_

"Calm your tits. Get your ass over to my house, and bring the equipment as needed for what the situation is as I will explain it to you. What happens after that will work as it will. Got all that?"

_"Yes. How do you know you'll be making that next phone-call anytime soon?"_

"Let's just say I have a feeling ok?"

_"...I still say you're a bloody psychic. Could make good money doing some future-seeing at my place."_

"Quit trying to drag me into your shitty occult business. I'm _not_ a psychic. Until said fated call bitch."

With those last sour words Vio ended the call. Shadow and Red stared at him curiously.

"Dude, all I caught from that was I-Owe-You, mumbo-jumbo, your house, psychic and "shitty occult business". Who the fuck was that?" He asked, leaning back in his seat. Vio tensed slightly, grabbing a pack of Skittles and ripping it open. He seemed to study the candy inside the package intensely before he swallowed.

"That was my ex-boyfriend, Green." Shadow raised an eyebrow but kept quiet. "He runs an occult shop in the poor side of Stormy Bay along with his grandmother and a good friend of his who taught him what he knows." Vio popped a couple of pieces of candy in his mouth, chewing somewhat furiously before continuing. "We broke up on shaky terms, but we owe each other a couple of favors. Believe me, if he wasn't my only choice I would've called someone else." He sighed, running a hand through his already messy bangs, mussing them up even further.

The dark-haired boy of the group jumped suddenly after receiving an unexpected kick in the shins from Red. He gave him an incredulous look. Red smiled, glancing between Vio and Shadow-Vio being as oblivious as ever-and raised his eyebrows. Shadow glared, a silent conversation passing between the two.

' _He likes guys~’_

_'No, Red. Please don't’-_

_'Shadoooowwwww it's perfect~! You have a chance!’_

_'Oh my Din Red please no'_

"Why are you two making weird faces at each other?" Red fell over laughing at the question.


	12. Chapter 11

' _Red stared at Blue's house. He was hiding in the bushes where Vio and Shadow had hid earlier; watching intently and quietly._

_It was somewhere around noon; the sun was shining brightly overhead. The saltwater sparkled merrily, the surf at low tide. Red knew he was in a dream-Blue's house was no longer run-down, but immaculate. Painted eggshell-white, with grey roof tiles and dark blue shutters it gave off a pleasant, homely feel; at least, until Blue stormed out looking very revolted._

_"She's a witch damnit all!" He yells, blonde locks flying as he whirled around. A tall, stately man stepped out onto the porch. Blue's father-Red didn't know how he knew who it was-looked nothing like Blue; the only thing they shared was their height and their stormy blue eyes. He was heavily muscled and sported a tan much darker than his son's, and he had short, dark-brown hair and a beard to match. His voice was deep, Red discovered, when he spoke._

_"She ain't a witch. I don' wanna hear yer moanin' an' complainin' Blue, yer too old fer that!" His eyes softened. "Look son, I know yer upset 'bout yer mum-I am too-but-"_

_"This ain't 'bout Mum! She's been castin' spells 'n 'r kitch'n, late a' night! I seen it!" Blue interrupted, clenching his fists. His eyes were burning with hostility, his entire body shaking. Red swallowed._

_"Oh Blue..." he whispered softly._

_The tense atmosphere thickened as a new figure stepped onto the porch behind Blue's father. The woman was not as tall as Blue's father or even Blue himself; she was garbed in a dark teal dress and long, wispy carrot-colored hair trailed behind her like a cloak, reaching to her knees. Her red eyes flashed dangerously, but she smiled sweetly, too sweetly to be real._

_Red immediately didn't like her._

_"Blue." Her voice was soft and mellow, and as sugary fake as her smile. Blue cringed visibly._

_"Don' you say mah name yeh schemin' enchantress. Don' you smile a' meh like that eith'r." he growled. The woman tensed slightly, and then relaxed as if nothing had happened._

_"Blue, dear, I can assure you I'm no witch. I was simply making you and your father breakfast!"_

_"'N th' middle of th' night?!"_

_"Dear, you were half-asleep when you saw me cooking in the kitchen. It only felt like the middle of the night because you were tired."_

_"Then explain all th' damn'd candles yeh had lyin' 'round th' place! And th' strange words you were mumblin'!"_

_"It was early morning, now how else was I supposed to see? And those were the ingredients. I've found it helps if I say what I need to use to myself so I don't forget it." Her smile was slightly forced now, but neither Blue nor his father noticed. Blue, himself, was turning slightly red at the woman's smooth excuses._

_Red believed him._

_She continued, her voice dripping with false sympathy,"I know it must be hard having lost your dear mother. I understand you two were close." She stepped forwards. "I'm not trying to replace her at all, if that's what you're really mad about. I don't force you to call me "Mother", or some variation thereof. I don't-"_

_"B_ _ullshit!" Blue had lost his temper. "Yer not tryin' tah replace her?! Tha's bullshit! I know yeh've been castin' spells an' makin' potions an' all o' it-I seen it! Yer tryin' tah make both o' us fergit! I seen yah burnin' her stuff; th' photos and clothes and things! All o' it! Burned t' ashes!"_

_The woman looked dismayed for a moment. "Next thing yer gunna be aft'r is her ring, but I've got it an' I ain't lettin' it outta mah sight!" He held up his left hand where, adorning his middle finger, was a silver ring with a dark blue, rounded but not polished sapphire set into it. It shimmered a few different shades of blue; Red almost thought he'd imagined it, but a hitch of the woman's breath told him otherwise._

_"Blue Ashlock!" His father stormed up to Blue, yanking his ear hard. Blue yelped. "How dare yeh talk tah yer stepmoth'r that way! I swear tah Din I'm gunna give yeh such a whuppin yeh won' be sittin' down fer a week...!" He dragged the flailing, protesting teen into the house._

_The woman stood outside, even after the door slammed, staring at the spot where Blue had stood. Suddenly she threw her head back and laughed, no, cackled; Red tensed, a dense, foreboding feeling flooding his body from his head down, numbing him.'_

Blue eyes opened abruptly in the dark, their owner completely awake. The tense feeling left Red's body after a moment and he sat up, looking at his clock. 12:00 midnight, exactly. He ran his hand through his hair.

"What was that....?" he asked himself. _'It was...just a dream right? But....it felt like I was actually there.'_ he continued his thought out loud, "Well, it looks like I won't be getting any more sleep tonight." Red threw his covers off of him, standing up with a soft grunt.

"Maybe I'll take a drive..." He mumbled. He walked to his mom's room and rapped on the door quietly.

"Come in." Came the reply. Red's mother sounded fully awake. He pushed the door open to see his mother in her nightgown, reading a book to the light of the bedside table lamp. She smiled at Red.

"Shouldn't you be in bed?" She asked. Red looked at her, bewildered. "Mom, it's...past midnight?" he said. His mother frowned.

"Oh. Sorry. I didn't notice, I got so absorbed into my book." She laughed. "Is there something you need?" Red nodded. "Can I take the car out? I won't be able to get back to sleep because of the weird dream I had, and I need to clear my head." he asked. His mother smiled, and nodded.

"Alright. Don't stay out too long okay?"

"Okay!" Red called as he snagged the keys, running out of the room, through the house and out the door. He unlocked the door and sat in the driver's seat of his mom's silver Ford pick-up, sticking the keys into the ignition. The vehicle started up with a sputter-it's a pretty old model-and one of Red's CDs boomed through the speakers, making Red jump.

 ** _"Holy Nayru!"_** he exclaimed, turning the volume way down. After he put on his seatbelt, he backed out of the driveway and headed towards town.


	13. Chapter 12

Red didn't know where he was driving. He just...drove. Most of the shops in town were closed, except for the supermarket and a few other miscellaneous storefronts. The half-moon shone brightly overhead, illuminating the sky; it was like a flickering light switch whenever clouds passed over it.

Despite his original reasons for taking the drive, Red didn't do any thinking. He just stared at the road, gripping the steering wheel and listening to the music filtering through the car's speakers. He was surprised about this turn of events, but decided not to question it. After all, the goddesses always had some sort of plan for him...

Right?

  
Apparently so, because a few minutes later he was pulling into the beach parking lot. It was a different section of the beach from where Blue's house was; however, off to the right Red could see a stretch of forest that separated the house from here. He wondered how many people had come down here just to have some fun and ended up- _oh, no, ok, no_. Don't think about that Red.

He got out of the truck, the scent of seawater and the sound of waves gently lapping at the beach filling his senses. Red took a deep breath, kicking off his flip-flops and locking the vehicle. This was a lot more relaxing than driving, that's for sure. He rolled his jeans up almost to his knees and walked down the beach until he stood up to his ankles in the surf. Red took a second deep breath and stared out to sea, watching the dark depths intently.

Now, he could think. Why was he having those dreams? Red was fairly sure that one doesn't just dream that he or she was being chased by some big jerks carrying knives, and then have the same situation happen the next day. But this new dream he had had confused him.

First he'd dreamed of the future, and if he didn't already know the facts he would've sworn he had did it again. Except Blue was dead, and he'd looked alive in the dream. His father and stepmother were dead, and they were alive in the dream too. _'So what, am I dreaming of the past now? What happened to the future? That was more helpful.'_ Red thought irritably.

"Great. Even my mind is starting to-” he huffed, trailing off. He continued to stare at the moonlit water for a while.

Soon, his ears picked up a faint sound coming from the woods. It was barely there, but rousing enough in the silence to make him turn towards it. It sounded faintly like a piano, and normally Red would've just shrugged it off, but the past week wasn't really what he could call normal. So he started towards it, keeping in the ankle-deep surf. He paused when he reached the edge of the woods, for fear of snakes, but shook his head and kept walking. The haunting piano music became louder.

  
Red stared at Blue's house from the opposite side of the clearing, he himself mostly enshrouded in the forest. Having got out of the surf earlier, his feet were kinda cold, but he ignored the feeling. The piano's sound was strongest here-in fact, it seemed to float right out of the house. Red frowned and stepped into the clearing, trying vainly not to step on a stick or something as he walked across. Blue's house leered ominously in front of him; the door was once again open, along with the two front-facing windows. Red hopped lightly onto the porch, gingerly testing his weight in case the wood creaked. When no sound other than the piano music greeted his ears, he cautiously slipped inside the house.

It was nearly pitch black, the only light coming from the windows, and that didn't help much. The piano slowed to a few mournful notes and Red held his breath.

 _'Keep playing, keep playing, **I'm not here.'**_ The music suddenly crescendoed, much to the blonde's relief. He walked forward, keeping on his toes; his eyes were starting to adjust to the low light and he could make out the staircase and a yawning expanse of a hall in front of him. _'Now where...?'_

The stairs would be too risky, Red decided quickly. Loose boards, squeaky steps-not a good idea. That, and if what his hearing was any indicator, the music didn't sound as if it were coming from above him. He started down the hall slowly, carefully checking in the rooms he passed. There was a kitchen, a dining room connected to it, a small study, and a few closets, but nothing caught his eye that even looked remotely like a music room.

Suddenly, as he stood frowning at the end of the hall, he heard a soft squeak behind him and a soft light cast his shadow against the hallway. Startled, he whirled around to find a cracked door he hadn't noticed before-it was as if it were built into the wall. He pushed it open more, pleased when the hinges didn't squeak again, and poked his head inside.

He bit back a soft gasp.

  
The room was about the size of Red's upstairs bedroom at home. A window stretching from the floor to the ceiling on the left side of it overlooked the expanse of Stormy Bay; a long, dark curtain was pulled to one side, allowing Red to look out at the sea and the moonlight to stream in, lighting up the room in an evanescent manner. A white grand piano-surprisingly well-kept, despite its old age-stood in the center of the room; sitting upon the matching bench, was Blue.

Blue was not in his altered form, obviously; his back was also to Red. His fingers danced along the ancient keys with all the grace of a stream of water; notes flowed from his fingertips effortlessly. The moonlight turned his normally golden hair almost silver; the strands caught the light in such a way that it was as if he had a halo circling his head.

Red breath caught, and his heart started to thump wildly in his chest.

The music slowed down once again, and Blue turned his head slight; his words cut through the mourning, yet peaceful atmosphere:

"I know yer there Red. I've known yeh've been here th' whole time. Ther's a reason no'un wit' their head screw'd on right steps on th' pier."


	14. Chapter 13

Red stepped all the way inside, flashing a small, sheepish smile. "What do you mean?"

"No'un steps on th' pier b'cause it's part o' th' house. How d' yeh think I know when som'un's tryin' t' die?" Blue replied, his fingers stilling. Red frowned.

"Why'd you stop?" He asked. Blue looked at him.

"Do yeh wan' meh t' keep playin'?" 

After a moment, Red nodded. "Please?" He added. Blue turned back around and started up a different song than the one before; it sounded like a mix between a circus merry-go-round tune and a waltz.

Red, curious, walked over to Blue. "Who taught you to play? What song is that?"  
He sat down on the edge of the bench, not noticing Blue's eyes shift to him.

"My mum taught me. Th' song's called Th' Song of Storms. It's a lullaby. I don' rememb'r th' words." The shorter blonde smiled. "It's pretty."

Blue was silent for a few moments. "...I thought I'd told yeh not t' come back," He mumbled, slowing his song down, "I don' wan' t' kill any'un else...yeh gotta lucky break by some goddess-sent miracle, but that might not last forev'r." Blonde bangs slid into his face, hiding Blue's eyes from view. "Yeh dunno what I've seen...what I've done..."

Red swallowed, staring at the undead boy. "I came back because...you led me here. Your piano music." Ocean blue eyes met sky, the former tired and in pain-the latter, intense and caring. Red cleared his throat.

"What was your mom like? Your real mom?"

Blue turned away, the tempo at which he had been playing increasing to allegro. "My mum was... Up 'til she died she... She loved music. She played alotta instruments; harp, ocarina, piano, violin....'n she sang a lot too. My dad allus said I looked more like 'er than I did 'im."

"Where...did she work? Did she work at all?"

"She work'd at th' candy and baked goods store 'n town. She was allus bringin' bags o' candy home fer me, an' sneakin' me treats whenev'r I was up 'n town at the shop. A couple o' years aft'r my fifth birthday she 'n Dad had an arguement; 'Ther's no such thing as multi-color'd food!' he's like-'I reckon ther' is~!' she's like-and she start'd makin' all sorts of strange color'd treats. She'd make or'nge color'd blueberry muffins, purple flapjacks, blue an' green cookies. All my birthday cakes fr'm then on were made o' blue batter. She got real famous 'round Stormy Bay fer her crazy-color'd treats."

"...I guess I shoulda told yeh her name already, huh? ...'Er name's Tetra. Like th' pirate cap'n. She coulda been a pirate 'f she wan'ed t' be. She acted like 'un sometimes. She'd go get one o' Dad's huntin' rifles 'n the early part o' th' mornin' some days an' hike int' th' woods an' shoot some stuff fer dinner. Then she'd skin it 'erself an' Dad's like, 'Why's a lady like you take it upon 'erself t' go out n' do stuff like this 'n th' wee hours o' th' mornin'?' And she's like, 'I may be a lady but I like t' do things fer m'self sometimes too.' And all th' while I'd be sleepin' like a log an' I wouldn't hear 'bout it 'till Dad dragged me outta bed to start bringin' in th' day's haul o' fish."

Suddenly the taller boy heard a soft yawn, and something, or someone, slumped against his side. "What th'-" he started, looking over, "-hell...?"

Red had pulled his feet up onto the bench, tucking them under him, and as Blue rambled on about his mother, exhausted from the past weeks events he'd fallen asleep. The warmth from his body seeped into Blue's side and the taller blonde stared. Red mumbled incoherently in his sleep, pressing his cheek into Blue's arm.

And for the second time in 145 years, Blue smiled.

 

**-"Hey Vio?"**

**"Yeah?"**

**"Where do you live? And like...who do you live with? Just...par curiosité?"**

**Red had left Something Grimm an hour and a half ago, so Shadow invited Vio over to his place for lack of better things to do.**

**The blond had no idea the goth lived in a mansion.**

**Vio looked at Shadow, his lips twitching into an amused smile. "Out of curiosity? You sure that's your reason?"**

**A mischievous grin and a wink was his reply. The blonde horror buff mock sighed.**

**"You know the apartment building by town hall? I live in apartment 614 with my mom and my younger cousin."**

**"You have a cousin?"**

**"Ash McLean. He's a fish this year." Shadow laughed.**

**"What's your mom do?" He asked, picking up a nearby rock and tossing it into his mansion's koi pond.**

**"She's a nurse at the hospital. What bout you?"**

**"I never see my mom. She's a government official and works in New Castle Town. I live with my brothers and my own cousin, who's a fishie."**

**"You have brothers?" Vio asked, looking at him. His eyebrows were arched, his lips pressing together; the look on his face when he was curious was quickly becoming an endearing quirk for Shadow.**

**"Three of them, two older and one younger. Dark's a senior-he's supposed to be in college but he got held back because he wanted to graduate with his boyfriend. Ghost is a senior too, but not because he was held back. Dusk is a sophomore, and Ravio, my cousin, is a fishie." Shadow explained. Vio grinned at him, his eyes scrunching up in the corners slightly-another endearing trait.**

**Shit, everything was endearing about him.**

**"You're lucky. At least you know how to deal with younger siblings...slash....cousins." He laughed, "I never grew up around my cousin, so when my aunt died and he moved in with us I didn't know what to do with him. I still don't, really." The blonde sighed contently and stretched, raising his arms above his head and arching his back. Shadow glanced away.**

**"...Who takes care of the garden?"**

**"Ghost and his boyfriend, another senior named Artemis."**

**Suddenly Vio pulled one of his knees up to his chest, resting his elbow on it and then resting his chin in the palm of his hand. He seemed to be fighting back a smile.**

**"So Shadow...I have a very serious question for you."**

**Shadow arched an eyebrow, a smirk tugging at his lips. "Oh?"**

**"Do you know the muffin man?"**

**Shadow stared at Vio for a moment before both of them cracked up.**

**"Where did that come from?" He asked between snorts of laughter. Vio shook his head, collapsing into a fit of giggles.**

**"Beats me! I just felt like asking. Seriously though, the guy owes me twenty rupees." This sent Shadow rolling; laughter racked his body so that to someone who couldn't hear it, it seemed like he was having a seizure.**

**Suddenly Shadow rolled so that he knocked Vio down beneath him. The two snickered breathlessly. It was only when they'd finally calmed down that Vio noticed the position they were in; Shadow was propped up with his elbow on one side of the blonde's head and his hand on the other, their faces nearly parallel.**

**Vio felt his cheeks heat up. "Um...Shadow? Would you mind getting off?" He glanced away.**

**The goth seemed to contemplate this for a moment. "Hold on a sec..." He mumbled, dipping his head slightly. Vio's breath hitched. "What are you-...?"**

**The question was cut off by Shadow's lips on his. The blonde's eyes widened and he froze. The pressure on his lips was short-lived; the purplette pulled back quickly to see his reaction. His body unfreezing, he pushed Shadow off, sitting and then standing up, the fingers of one hand reaching up to brush his lips.**

**"Vi-”**

**"Shadow just-....I'm going home. I'll see you on Monday." Vio ran off, leaving Shadow to wonder what he'd just done.- ******


	15. Chapter 14

It was the sunlight bleeding through the open window that woke Red up again. He groaned, throwing his arm over his eyes and rolling over....promptly falling off the bed.

"Son of a Goron!" he exclaimed, peeling himself off the floor and looking around. Compared to the rest of the house, this room looked as if it were cleaned regularly. The walls and ceiling were sky blue, the small carpets spread on the floor dark blue, the bed he'd just fallen off of decorated with a cerulean, plaid comforter. The wooden furniture was painted white and consisted of the bed frame, the dresser and desk, and a small bookshelf with old books. Red plucked one off the shelf, curious, and flipped it open. The pages were to yellowed to read anything however.

"Blue?" He called, walking over to the window. He was on the second floor, but at least the bedroom faced the front yard. Red could see Blue sitting on the pier, and quickly walked downstairs and out of the house.

Blue was deep in his own thoughts, and didn't notice Red walk up and sit next to him. His stormy eyes searched the depths of the sea in front of him, as if looking for something. He twisted the ring on his finger, trying to slide it off but not succeeding.

It was the first time that Red had seen the ring up close in real life. It was silver banded, but looked like costume jewelry. At this Red frowned. In his dream the ring had looked real-as in, made of real silver and with a real sapphire. The gem wasn't even cut the same way.

Blue's voice in his ear caused the boy to jump. "Where'd you come from?" he asked. The curly-haired blonde looked up and shrugged.

"The house..." he replied. Blue's lips twitched into a smirk.

Suddenly Red's phone buzzed. He pulled it out of his pocket and consequently paled as he checked the message. The undead blonde peered curiously over his shoulder.

"Wha's that?" Red stood up. "Um- it's- called a phone- it was invented a few years after you- I gotta go Blue. I'll come visit!" He started to run down to the opposite side of the clearing, stopped, ran back to hug the now-standing Blue-"Er-! Bye Red?"-and ran back again-"Oi wait! What th' hell'sa phone?!"

 

"Fuck." Red cursed as he plopped down next to Vio at their normal school meeting place. Vio looked up.

"I...feel like it would be better if I didn't ask." He remarked cautiously. Red rolled his eyes and tossed a dark red notebook in the violet boy's lap. "Here, have research. And I'm grounded because I took the truck out in the middle of the night on Saturday and didn't come back or call my mom until nine o'clock on Sunday morning."

"Well where were you?" The short blonde chewed on his lip. "...Blue's house."

"Excuse me?" The two juniors looked up. A tall, stern-looking police officer with straight black hair and grey eyes stood in front of them, a frown on her face. "Are you Violet Levesk and Red Hicharu?"

Vio scowled. "It's Vio."

Red nodded, looking confused.

"I need to ask you two a few questions regarding one of your classmates that recently went missing. My name is Officer Ashei. I work for Stormy Bay's police department, obviously."

'Well shit.'

"What do you want to know? Which classmate?" Red played dumb. Ashei's frown deepened.

"Zant Midnight. He was filed as missing on this last Wednesday. What was your connection to him?"

"Bully. Jealous. Possessive. Very insulting to bisexuals." Vio's answer.

"He was a bully. He pulled a knife on me on Wednesday, but that was the last I saw him after I got away." Red's reply.

"...I see." The officer's attention turned to Red completely. 'Shitshitshitshit.' "Care to tell me why he pulled a knife on you?"

"He was threatening me because he was picking on Vio the day before and I had told him to back off." A tall shadow walked up to them-Red paled when he saw the face.

"That's him Officer." The voice was deep and had a malicious undertone to it. "He killed my younger brother."

"..."

"What?!?!" Both Red and Vio jumped up. Ashei arched an eyebrow, but didn't say anything.

"Excuse me?! If anything, you-whoever you are-and Zant were trying to kill me!" Red said, poking the tall teenager in the chest.

"Do you know this person?" Ashei asked him.

"No, I don't!"

"This is Ganondorf Midnight. He's the mayor's eldest son. Zant Midnight is his younger brother."

Red's eyes widened to the size of saucers. "Wh- what....?"


	16. Chapter 15

Ashei nodded, setting her steely gaze on the blonde. "Were you aware of this fact?"  
"No!"

Ganon spoke up again, stepping forward so that he was looming over the two juniors. "It doesn't matter whether or not he knew who Zant was, he killed him! I saw it! Just fucking arrest him already!" The police officer pulled him back.

"Don't push it. You may be the mayor's son, but that doesn't mean you have a clean slate." She looked at the boys and continued, "Now, I'm going take you two back to the station, just to talk. I'm gonna ask you a few questions, and then you'll be free to go."

"Free to g-?!”

"I said don't push it. Come along boys." Red and Vio gathered their bags and followed the Ashei, eyeing Ganon warily as they passed. Eyes turned to them as they walked across the courtyard, and people leaned over to whisper to each other. Red scowled at them. 

'Nasty gossips...' He thought as he got into the backseat of the officer's car with Vio. The two shared a nervous look.

 

The ride was quiet, leaving Red wondering how he was going to explain what he knew, and Vio with a lot of time to think. And those thoughts mostly revolved around Shadow and last Saturday.

"What's up...?" Red whispered, jolting Vio from his thoughts. The quieter blonde glanced over, a hand reaching up to tug on his bangs. He opened his mouth as to say something but quickly shut it, flipping open his notebook to a page and scowling, and shut that too.

"I'm fine." He replied, sighing softly. Red knew that look, and left it alone.

 

"Alright boys," Ashei started as they walked into the station, "Here is how this is going to work; Vio's going to come with me into my office and I'll be asking him some questions. Red can sit out here and wait until I'm done." She gave them each a stern look, gesturing for Red to sit down. The woman made sure Vio was sitting in one of the chairs in front of her desk before turning. "I'm going to go collect some papers, and then we'll get started." she told Vio, before leaving and shutting the door.

Looking around, he could see that Officer Ashei was younger than she looked. A emerald green mortarboard((A/N: collage graduate cap)) hung off of a small baseball trophy perched on top of the black mini-fridge in the corner. The gold tassel hanging from one corner had a charm attached to it, the date of graduation: 2010. Her walls were practically bare, only sporting her framed degree, a clock, and a gold medal hanging from a hook. The desk was relatively clear; only a minuscule stack of paper work on one corner with a nameplate holding it down, and a stapler.

The silence was as tense as it could be with only one person in the office. Vio slouched in his chair with his arms crossed, trying to give off an air of indifference. His eyes however, roamed the room anxiously. One leg bounced on the sole of his foot repeatedly.

The clock ticked.

Tick.

Tock.

There was a shuffling noise, and Ashei opened the door, walking into the room. Ignoring the stony silence, she sat down at her desk and pulled out a notepad, eyes observing the way the junior held himself.

"Alright then. Vio, correct?"

"You know that already. Why are you asking again?"

"You moved here in your freshman year, correct?"

"End of eight grade." She scribbled on her notepad.

"What are your hobbies?"

"Reading ghost stories, playing videogames...drawing."

"You're an artist?" Dark eyebrows rose in inquisition.

"Yes."

"What do you like to draw?"

Vio shrugged impassively. "I dunno. People."

"Sounds interesting. Do you have any drawings on you?"

"...Just one at the moment."

"Would it be ok if I saw it?" Vio narrowed his eyes. It was a question, however Ashei's tone of voice said 'You're gonna show me whether you like it or not.'

The violet boy flipped open his notebook and tore a page out, handing it to the raven-haired officer. She inspected it with a bemused expression. "This someone important, or did you make him up?" she asked, turning the paper to him.

Vio dipped his head to hide his rising blush. It was a pencil sketch of Shadow standing in the garden. It was nighttime, but the sky was cloudless and the moon full, casting light on the goth's features. White flowers that looked like morning-glories reflected more light on the purplette, who stood on the small stone bridge gazing up at the moon. He had his hands in his pockets.

"I made him up." he lied.

Ashei handed the drawing back to Vio. "You have talent," she said quietly, then resumed questioning, "You said Zant bullied you?"

"Yes."

"How long has that been going on?"

"Since I moved here. Most of the time he pushed me around just because I was quiet and kept to myself. He got worse when he found out that I was...bisexual. He started calling me names during my freshman year and halfway through my sophomore, until I met my ex-boyfriend. He didn't come near me again until we broke up."

"Where is your ex-boyfriend?"

"Out of the country." Vio lied again, not even blinking. "He moved to the Labrynna with a friend."

"I see." Ashei nodded. "Where were you on last Wednesday?"

"I was at school until second period and went home because I was sick." She gave him a short nod. "Go get Red please. It's his turn."

Vio stood up, all too ready to leave the cramped room.

 

Red nearly jumped out of his skin when Vio tapped his shoulder. His wide blue eyes looked up at his friend, who gave an encouraging smile. 'Your turn...' He mouthed. The shorter boy nodded, and entered the office.

Ashei was filing away the paper she had written on for Vio in a folder; she didn't look up when Red came in. "Have a seat." she ordered, sticking the file in a drawer. The curly-haired blonde did so nervously.

"You moved here recently?" she asked, poising her pen over a cleaned sheet of lined paper. Surprised, Red blinked, not comprehending the question for a few seconds.

"Er- y-yes ma'am, on last weekend." He cursed himself for stuttering.

"How did you and Vio meet?"

"He came up to me on my first day at the high-school and introduced himself. We're in the same grade."

"You're both juniors?"

"Yes ma'am."

"What do you like to do?"

"I like to cook." Red couldn't think of any other prevalent hobbies he had.

"Just cooking?"

"Yes ma'am."

"I see." Ashei seemed to contemplate Red for a moment. "You mentioned at the school that Zant and Ganondorf pulled knives on you on Wednesday? Tell me how that happened."

Red frowned. "I was walking to school, half-asleep, and when I got to the street corner I bumped into Zant and his brother. They asked me if we could "talk," " he air-quoted the word, "and when I told them off they started counting down from five. And I just...ran. The other direction."

"Obviously you got away, seeing as you're not sporting any wounds of some kind. How did you get away?"

"I ran to um...Blu-Bleeding Blue's house..." Well, that wasn't very believable, despite the fact that it was true. Ashei's eyebrows rose.

"Bleeding Blue? The town legend? Do you even know how far away that house is from where you were?" Red shook his head. "One mile. You ran an entire mile to get to that house. Assuming it's still standing."

"I-it's true though! I was running down the street, kind of hoping I could get to my house because my mom doesn't leave for work until ten, and they had barely caught up to me. I cut across the street and kept running, but I didn't know where I was going. I ended up in some woods and then Blue's house was there so I just....hid inside!"

"Alright, A; were you ever in cross country, because I'm not going to believe that you ran a straight mile just to escape bullies otherwise, and B; how do you know it was Bleeding Blue's house?" She sat back in her chair, crossing her arms. The blonde swallowed.

"Yes ma'am. My mom made me join the cross-country team every year from seventh grade to my sophomore year. And...I know it was Bleeding Blue's house because I saw him."

"You saw Bleeding Blue." The police officer's voice was laced with skepticism. "If this is true, how are you still alive?"

"I don't know...I'm still trying to figure that out."

The office fell into quiet after that. Ashei watched Red with a scrutinizing look on her face. She wanted to believe him, but if what he was saying was true, then it was possible that Bleeding Blue had killed Zant. And if that was true, then there was nothing that the police force could do. However, that would also mean the two boys would be innocent, saving them from a lot of trouble.

Ashei wanted to believe Red, but she needed more proof.

"...You two aren't off the hook. But you're not guilty either." She shook her head. "I'd believe you Red, but I need proof. If you can prove to me that what you say is true, then you and Vio will be proven innocent. Now get your bags; I'm going to drive you two back to school."


	17. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

"Guys!"

Shadow sprinted across the cafeteria to his, Red and Vio's table. The two boys looked up. Crimson eyes locked with ice for a split second before the goth sat down.

"What happened? Why'd the police come get you?" he hissed, looking back and forth between them. Red idly spun his fork in his bowl of pasta.

"Zant. His big brother, the other guy that chased me, told the police that I'd killed Zant." he replied softly. Shadow's jaw dropped. "That chatte did what?! But you didn't kill him!"

Red made a 'keep it down' motion with his hand. "Shadow, be quieter for the love of Nayru!" The goth turned to Vio, motioning at Red with an appalled expression. Vio stared blankly back.

It took Shadow a moment to understand why the blonde wasn't reacting to him. "Vio look-" He stood up, shaking his head, and started to walk off. Shadow went to grab his arm, or his shirt, or something, when he suddenly turned back around and shoved a piece of paper at the goth's face.

He barely grabbed the mystery paper in time to watch Vio walk off with a heated blush coloring his pale cheeks, and looked at it. His mouth dropped for a second time.

"Salim doux ... quoi?" He murmured.

 

This path hadn't been used in years. That much was obvious. Even if it had been used recently, how had a junior in highschool that looked like he should have been in the goddess-damned sixth grade managed to traverse it?

Well...no time like the present to find out, Ashei thought as she stared down the overgrown path. She stood with her hands on her hips at the edge of the woods, her police car parked a few yards away. She had her gun strapped to one hip, and the taser on the other, not that she thought they would do much good if push came to shove. However, it was better to be safe than sorry in her opinion.

She set off.

The air in the forest was hot and humid, much to the black haired woman's chagrin. Birds sang in the trees and the sun shone through the mixed canopy of evergreen and deciduous trees. The leaves were beginning to change from emerald to an array of yellows and oranges and reds, she noted. It would be autumn soon...

The path was not as ragged as Ashei had originally thought. It wasn't in mint condition, per say, but the weeds and plants hadn't taken it over completely. Only once did she get snagged on a vine that had stretched across the path to entangle in a thin bush's branches; the raven headed woman cut that nuisance away easily.

It wasn't long until she came to the clearing where the legend's cursed house stood. She was surprised to find it still standing and not swept away by a freak ocean storm, or something of the like. Maybe Red was telling the truth.

"Hello?" She called out, feeling extremely stupid. There was no answer. "Is...anyone there?" she tried again.

This time there was movement behind one of the second floor windows. A white face peered out for a split second before disappearing again. If Ashei had blinked, she would've missed it. A voice-a young man's voice-floated over the clearing.

"What d' yeh want?"

She jumped, surprised, and swallowed; "Are you...Bleeding Blue?"

"...go away."

Ashei took a step forward. "You're real-“

"Go away!"

"Did you kill-”

"Go away, Go aWaY, GO AWAY!!!!!" The voice screeched.

She held her hands up in a placating gesture.

"Ok. I'm leaving."

"GO AWAY!“

 

"Oi Vaati. Remember the last time we were at this dump?"

Two teenage figures stared up at Stormy Bay High. The taller of the two giggled, a manicured hand rising to cover a manic grin. His ruby eyes met his partner's cerulean orbs out of the corner of his eye, and he brushed his long lavender hair over his shoulder.

"Of course Green. When you dumped the tsundere little wannabe psychic~" The shorter snorted his companion, Vaati's, reply. The cerulean orbs turned back to the brick building, and pale lips adorned with snake bite piercings twitched into a grin.

Green's hair, akin to that of a lion's mane in current style, was held back with brown leather goggles, leaving only nose-length bangs and thick sideburns framing his face. He wore a floor-length dark green cloak over a brown vest and white button-up, and tan pants tucked into brown leather boots. One hand idly tapped against the cane he carried, which was oak wood and adorned with several charms and trinkets, and topped with a carving of a bird skull. The other was wrapped around his companion's waist.

Vaati's hair was mostly gathered into a ponytail and what was left hung haphazardly about his shoulders and face. His bangs covered his left eye, and the uncovered orb sported thick eyeliner and mascara along with a strange, T-shaped marking underneath. He wore a violet-blue shawl, kept on his wiry shoulders with a bat-shaped brooch over a lilac colored form-fitting tunic, silver tights, and knee-high red boots. He leaned over slightly and nuzzled Green's pointed, pierced ear.

"Let's pay your lovely little ex-boyfriend a visit, shall we~?" he practically purred.


	18. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Vio shook as he walked through an empty hallway, his eye glued to the alternating white and purple tiles. He didn't think he was going to do that. Fuck he wasn't supposed to do that! What was he thinking?! The blonde couldn't let himself fall in love-no, not again, he'd learned his lesson with that lying, cheating-!

...Hadn't he?

"Oi Vio~"

Vio froze. 'No. No. Nonononononononono this isn't happening you fucking-!' he thought, looking over his shoulder. Green was leaning against the lockers, a cheeky little smirk on his face. 

"Y'know, I don't have to do shit for you." Green said, crossing his arms. The all-black clad blonde scowled at him(hey, black is fashionable). "That bullshit about-'Oh, I need to cash in an You Owe Me but not right now give me a week or so because I just really hate you for something that was my fault'-because I know that's the real reason-yeah, see, after I got off the phone, that didn't sit with me right. I don't owe you anythi-"

"I need your help asshole! I wouldn't call you if it wasn't something important!" Vio interrupted, whirling around with his fists and teeth clenched. Green's eyes widened in surprise. Look's like Vio was having none of this bullshit.

"What do you need my help for?"

Suddenly Vaati slipped behind Green, sliding one arm around his waist and the other around his shoulders. "Yes, what do you need his help for~?" he drawled, the unhidden eye glimmering. The grip around Vio's ex's waist tightened possessively, causing his scowl to darken.

"I'm sorry, but I don't share privileged information when your little drag-queen bitch decides to flaunt his manicured ass into the conversation." Vio retorted. 

Vaati smirked sadistically, removing himself from his boyfriend. One of his hands removed something from a pouch hanging from his waist-a stitched rag doll in the likeness of Vio-and held it up. "Oh, but I think you do~" he replied, dangling the little doll in the air by the back of its little doll-sized t-shirt.

The blonde cursed as he was lifted off the ground by the back of his shirt, loosing control of his limbs. He would have struggled, but he was too busy hissing every profanity he knew at the dark Wiccan-and he couldn't move his limbs on his own anyway as long as Vaati was messing with that doll. 

"You motherfucking bastard son of a bitch I swear to Nayru I'm going to fucking strangle y-hck!" He choked on his sentence as Vaati squeezed the doll's neck slightly. Green watched silently.

"If you tell us, we'll consider helping you." he said quietly, motioning for Vaati to stop so Vio could answer.

After a moment the blonde nodded, and was returned to his feet as the lavender-haired magic user returned the doll to the pouch. Vio rubbed his neck.

"I can't fucking believe you made a voodoo doll of me..." he muttered. Green rolled his eyes.

"Vaati makes a voodoo doll of everyone." Vaati giggled. "Anyway, what do you need help-our help-for?"

"You...know the story of Bleeding Blue?" Green sighed and opened his mouth to reply, but Vio beat him to it. "Bleeding Blue is real. I've seen him. My friend, Red, found his house by accident and met him, and left alive. So far he's been to Blue's house three times and he hasn't killed him-I can vouch because I was there the second time."

Vaati and Green glanced at each other, and Vio continued.

"I've never seen the kind of power-magic-I'm not sure what it is-that Blue has. The descriptions that we've grown up with are real but he can also shift into a more human form-I'm assuming that it's what he looked like in his living years. From what I've gathered, he had a stepmother that he accused of being a witch." He looked at the dark Wiccan and dark Wiccan in training. "I think he's cursed. I figure, if anybody in this town knows about black magic, and curses, it's you two."

There was silence in the hall, only broken when the bell rang. Vaati tilted his head. 

"You work at Something Grimm yes? I think my brother has run into you a few times. We'll meet you there after school is out." Vaati crossed his arms. "And bring your friend too." Vio nodded begrudgingly.

With that, the lavender and blonde haired boys walked away, leaving Vio in the hallway alone.


	19. Chapter 18

_Blue paced the length of his room. It was exactly five long strides from the front facing window to the door. He had counted.  
  
  One. Two. Three. Four. Five.  
  
  The blonde almost laughed at the irony. He was a monster. He killed people. And yet, here he was, counting how many paces his room stretched in one direction, despite the fact that he knew that fact already-worrying, fretting, pulling his hair out in frustration at the strange teenage boy that had run in and out of his house and managed to fascinate him within less than a week. It was such a _human  _thing to be doing. Blue laughed at that.  
  
  He wasn't even human anymore, not if his own mind had anything to say about it.  
  
  And yet...  
  
 _ "...so long story short, they're supposed to meet us here. They said they would."  
  
  Shadow was furious. Actually, furious didn't come close to covering the impulsive reaction he was holding back as Vio finished explaining why he had called Shadow and Red over to Something Grimm. Furious was only a sliver of the feeling.  
  
  He knew Vaati's family. He knew Vaati's brother. He knew Vaati.  
  
  And Salim damn  _him_  to  _hell_ forthreatening Vio like that.  
  
  ...Not that...he really had any right to be saying that. Or did he...?  
  
 _He wanted to know what came over him when he killed people. Did Red know? Could he find out? Blue opened the window and stared at the path.  
  
  Where was he?  
  
  Did he hate him?  
  
  Did he leave because...of him?  
  
  Blue scowled and his frustration rose to a peak. Blood dripped from his wrists, hitting the floor and curling around him like smoke. He felt a drowning sensation.  
  
  He saw red.  
  
  _Speak of the devils themselves. Shadow stared Vio's ex and his drag-queen boyfriend down as the sauntered into the meeting room. Vio tensed immediately, and suddenly Shadow felt a slight pressure on his foot. Vio was stepping on him. He didn't mind.  
  
  What he did mind however, was the two newcomers immediately sitting by Vio. He narrowed his eyes.  
  
  "What are we just sitting here for? Fill us in!" Vaati chirped, taking out a nail file and starting to file his already sharp-as-knives nails. Vio looked at Red.  
  
  "Um...do you want me to start from the beginning or-"  
  
  "Noooo, we want you to start smack in the middle." Green interrupted, rolling his eyes.  
  
  "Well..." Red sighed. "Ok."  
  
   _Blue was flowing through the wall, smashing through his stepmother's old vanity mirror(Good riddance...the sane part of his mind uttered)and into his parent's old bedroom. With a scream of rage his swollen, waterlogged fingers gripped at the old oak bed post and heaved. Unnatural strength aided the bed's lifting off the ground- creaking dangerously, it threatened to spilt from the sudden stress.  
  
  Blonde hair that once upon a time been gold woven from straw waved and undulated in nonexistent water as Blue hurled the bed into the wall. The resulting sound shook the house like thunder as both the furniture and the wall crumbled and splintered and crashed, leaving a gaping hole in the wall. Blue screamed again, the inky blood flowing from his wrists solidifying and thrashing about, destroying everything.  
  
  He sunk to the floor, his voice growing hoarse.  
  
  _"...and then I noticed the ring he was wearing was different-"  
  
  "Wait." Vaati cut Red off with a wave of his hand. His pale lips pressed together. "What do you mean the ring was different? Different from what?"  
  
  Red froze and clamped a hand over his mouth. Vio, Shadow, Green and Vaati looked at him expectantly. He looked down and away, keeping his hand over his mouth.  
  
  "Mhvre bmhn hnvnig drmnhphs..." he said, his words muffled.  
  
  "I can't understand you with your hand over your mouth like that Red." Vaati remarked. His sharp red eyes softened slightly.  
  
  Red slowly took his hand from his lips. "I've been having wierd dreams..." Vaati's eyebrows arched.  
  
  "Dreams?"  
  
   _His fist came down heavily on the wood floor, crunching a glass shard beneath it. Blue's voice decrescendoed from its manic roar and with a final undignified croak, silenced. Blue's chin dropped to his chest, eyes closed in fatigue. He opened them to meet his rotten blackish-blue orbs staring back up at him in one of the larger mirror shards. He gazed at his reflection blankly, watching ink drip from his eyes and hair down his cheeks.  
  
  "I'm a monster..." he whispered.  
  
  _"The first dream I had was actually the night before Zant and Ganon chased me and it was...well, exactly what happened then happened in the dream except that...I didn't see the end and the two people chasing me were faceless." Red swallowed, keeping his face downcast and wringing his hands under the table. "The second dream was one actually about Blue when he was alive. That's where I noticed the ring-in the dream it was more like a college ring while the one on Blue's finger now looked like costume jewelry."  
  
  Vaati stood up and strode so that he was standing in front of Red. "Give me your hands." he ordered, and when the blonde complied hesitantly, he closed his eyes. He squeezed Red's hands briefly and then released them.  
  
  "Your dreams are just a strange, yet inclusive coincidence." When Vio, Shadow and Red all looked at him with furrowed brows, Vaati continued. "Usually when I take someone's hands, I can tell if they're a magic user even if they don't know it. It's like...a spark passes between our palms. There was no spark."  
  
  "You're not extraordinary, save for the fact that you escaped Bleeding Blue's wrath alive."  
  
  Vio tapped his fingers on the table, gaining everyone's attention. His icy gaze swept the room, landing on Green with a sour expression.  
  
  "You know the story now. What are you going to do about it?" he asked.  
  
  Green narrowed his eyes at Vio in return. " _We_ are going to help you. Something tells me we won't have a choice. If you need us,  _Vaati_ will be pouring over whatever he thinks he needs to read;  _I_  will be in the graveyard. I suggest you look in the library for the obituaries. Find out exactly how he died. Or at least, the wounds that killed him."  
  
  "We  _know_  how he died," Shadow growled, his eye twitching in annoyance. "His wrists were slit and he was thrown into the bay. If he didn't bleed out first, he'd drowned. We need to know  _who_ killed him, not  _how_ he died."  
  
  "Then find out." Vaati and Green snapped in unison. Green stood up, following Vaati as he sauntered out of the break room. The forest-clad blonde stopped just as he graced the doorway and turned his head slightly.   
  
  "Red."  
  
  He looked at Green.  
  
  "Convince your undead boyfriend to let us use a scrying circle on him. Try to do it by the end of next week."  
  
  With that, Green left.


	20. Chapter 19

Steady streams of silver moonlight shone through Red's open window onto his bed. His door was locked and he was lying the wrong way against the mattress, with his feet to the headboard, so that he could watch the opalescent disk. His mind was reeling; it had been two days since the conversation that had taken place at Something Grimm, and he was at a loss on how to get to Blue's house whilst being grounded. He thought about sneaking out, since it was currently midnight, but there was the problem of his mother's spontaneous _Luigi's Mansion_ marathon. She was still awake.

He knew, because he could hear her cussing like a sailor at the TV, telling those damned Boos to just _fuck. Off._

Sky blue eyes, faded gray with the moon's light, drifted all over the obvious answer to his problem, analyzing the pattern of his curtains and-wait a minute.

"Oh my Din. I'm an idiot." Red said aloud, then cringed at his own lack of tact. He paused a moment, listening carefully for his mother, but she was busy freaking out over the Portrait Ghost she was fighting and didn't hear his slip. As quietly as he could, he pulled on jeans and a jacket, and looked out the window. The night was dark, but the street lights were bright. Red carefully sat on the windowsill with his feet touching the sloped roof.

He gulped, a nervous pit forming rapidly in his stomach, and stood up slowly. The grey tiles beneath his feet creaked and he froze, heart jackhammering in his chest. _This...isn't as easy as I thought it would be..._ Red realized, taking a very slow step forward. He continued like that until he reached the edge of the roof.

"Okay," he whispered, "No problem." He looked over the side and saw here was nothing to break his fall. "I'll just...tuck and roll then." The blonde took a deep breath, and leaped off the roof, tucking his head in just before he landed. He rolled about three feet and ended on his back, grass stuck in his hair and clothes.

"...Ow." After making sure his mother hadn't noticed (she hadn't), Red stood up and walked down the street.

* * *

 

Ashei was up to her nose in paperwork. Working late _really sucked ass._ The mayor's missing, supposedly dead son was giving her all kinds of hell, probably from hell if she had any sort of opinion about it. Which she did, but she wasn't allowed to express it without getting harassed by every male officer in the department.

The loud and jarring noise of the telephone ringing snapped her from her thoughts, and Ashei dropped her pen in surprise. The tone sounded again and she reached over to pick it up. Opening her mouth to answer, she barely got a word out before the person on the other end of the line spoke.

"Detective Ashei? It's Telma. We've found the body."

Ashei frowned. "The mayor's missing son?"

"Yes. At the abandoned dock."

"I'm on my way."

* * *

 

The ride down to the abandoned dock was short and uneventful. Ashei felt no need to turn the flashing blue and red lights on, seeing as it was very late and the night was quiet. Very few cars were out, and they were just travelers. They weren't her main focus right now anyways. The bright, repetitive flare of the police cars parked by the dock annoyed her as she pulled up. If there was a way to attract attention, that would be it.

A tall stately woman strode up to the vehicle as Ashei got out. "Detective Ashei."

"Telma." She shook the deeply tanned woman's offered hand. "The body is here?"

Telma nodded, her deep auburn dreads swishing. "Yes. Follow me."

As Ashei was led down to the dock, her eyes drifted around, observing her surroundings. Several officers were grouped together, talking quietly, the murmur of their voices pretty much the only real noise, aside from the soft sound of the tide. She recognized Shad, the brunette forensic pathologist that worked for her department. He was carrying a notepad, presumably with observations on it, and his pen was tucked behind his ear. The black-haired woman turned her attention away from him as Telma lifted the police tape surrounding the dock, gesturing for her to go forward.

Zant's body was laying on a plain white canvas, spread across the dock. The corpse was sodden and bloated and the head and neck were completely wrenched from it's shoulders. The disembodied head was tied to the body's wrist. It was sickly pale, with and the features were almost unrecognizable. The corpse was drenched in water. Ashei gagged and had to turn away for a moment.

"Gruesome, isn't it?" Telma said, her face set with a deep frown. "There was an old alcohol bottle jammed into the neck. It had a note in it. A very recent note, actually. Somebody wrote it, put it in the bottle, stuck it into the neck, and set the body afloat."

"Did you find out what it said?"

"Shad did. He was the only one allowed to handle it." Ashei nodded and turned towards the brunette, calling out to him. He jogged over, ducking under the tape and joining her.

"Shad."

"Ashei. I presume you called me over here for something important?" Shad inquired, although it was phrased more like a statement. He lifted a hand, adjusting his rectangular glasses and briefly exposing the gold watch latched onto his wrist.

"I did. I was wondering if you could tell me what the note said?" Ashei also phrased her inquiry like a statement. Shad's lips pursed into a tight-lipped grimace, his hand falling back to his hip.

"It was rather cryptic. Would you rather I show it to you?"

There was a pregnant pause, then: "Yes please, if you don't mind."

The deputy followed her coworker back to the array of police vehicles, where a lone black Saturn Ion was parked on the edge. Shad opened the passenger door and reached into a crate, pulling out a gallon Ziplock bag with a piece of yellowed paper carefully sealed inside. He held it out for Ashei's inspection. Written in what looked like blue ink-or maybe it was black, she couldn't really tell in the flashing lights-was a message composed of four simple words:

**_It'S NoT HIS faULt. _ **

* * *

 

The woods were still extremely creepy at night-that was an indisputable fact that Red had affirmed as he stole along the faded path. Soft chirping of crickets and the occasional hooting of an owl or shriek of a bat were the only things he could hear, apart from his own breathing and the crunch of leaves underfoot. He wondered how Blue would take the news that he was suspected of the mayor's son's death. He also wondered how Blue would take the news that they were going to find out why he kills people.

With his luck, Red feared the worst.

Blue's house stood in the same picturesque, abandoned manner as it had every other time Red had ventured there. The blonde strode up to the house timidly, looking for any sign of Blue.

"Blue? Hello?" He called softly, stepping onto the porch.

The door creaked open and Red swallowed, walking inside. The house was just as dark and dank and gloomy as it had been when he had last visited, but there was a feeling in the air that Red couldn't quite place.

"...Blue?" Fear rose like bile in his throat, and Red's heart started fluttering. A breeze flowed through the open door, chilling him through his jacket and he shivered.

Blue appeared suddenly in front of him, eyes black and wrists dripping and an onyx miasma curling around him. His blued lips were set in a scowl.

"What are you doing here?" His tone was harsh, words unforgiving. "Go away."

"A-are you okay?" Red whimpered, nervously wringing his hands. He held his ground, staring up into Blue's face.

That had been the wrong thing to say. The scowl became a snarl, and the miasma undulated around Blue violently.

"I'M DEAD! I'M DEAD AN' DANGEROUS AN' I COULD KILL YA AT ANY SECOND, AN' YOU, **YOU O' ALL PEOPLE WANNA KNOW IF I'M _OKAY?!?!"_** Red flinched intensely at how loud the ghost's voice got in that short period of time. **_"I'M A FUCKIN' UNDEAD MONSTER! WHA' PART O' ME IS OKAY?!?!"_**

A ringing silence settled over them after these words were screamed into Red's face. His mouth was dropped into a perfect 'O' shape, and his bright blue eyes were blown wide in shock. Blue's face was a perfect and frightening picture of rage and anguish and _death_ , and Red was genuinely dismayed. His eyes scrutinized the tall blonde and he felt an incredible sadness wash over him.

"Blue..." He mumbled, stepping forward to wrap his arms around Blue. He closed his eyes, ignoring the protests and the struggling and the fact that he couldn't hear a heartbeat and the ice-cold collarbone grinding into his temple, and squeezed tightly. "You're not a monster."

Blue's struggling ceased and his appearance returned to normal in a short bout of disbelief. What was this stupid, stupid boy thinking? He was a monster, he had killed hundreds. He'd literally squeezed the life out of someone, right in front of him, and Red was telling him he wasn't a monster. Blue scoffed.

"Yes I am Red. I've killed. I could kill yah." Red only squeezed tighter, shaking his head into Blue's rumpled shirt. "Just go 'way b'fore I hurt ya. Please."

The blonde released Blue with a rough shove, the look on his face livid. Blue stumbled and fell on his butt, staring incredulously up at Red.

"No! I'm not going away and you can't make me!" Red shouted, cheeks flushing in indignation.

"Red-"

"Shut up! I didn't sneak out of my room _in the middle of the night, against my mother's wishes_ , and jump off _a fucking ROOF_ , _just to see you_ , only to be told to _go away!_ _Listen_ to me when I say this: _YOU ARE NOT A MONSTER!"_

Red panted harshly, voice cracking when he spoke again, slightly calmer. "If you were a _monster,_ Blue, you would've killed me whether you were forced to or not. You would've liked killing all those people that you did-you would've _enjoyed_ it. But you didn't enjoy it. You've never enjoyed it. And you certainly didn't like it." He swallowed, meeting Blue's eyes as he picked himself off the floor.

"If you were a monster," Red sighed shakily, running his hands through his golden curls, "I wouldn't have fallen in love with you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FINALLY! AFTER SUCH A LONG WAIT
> 
> I am so sorry for the delay in getting this chapter both written and posted. I had the WORST writer's block for the LONGEST time, so please know that when it's hold on me broke three days ago, I worked on this chapter like it was the last thing I would ever do. I'm going to go back and edit all of the previous chapters, but for now I will just focus on finishing the rest of the story.


End file.
